West Fargo Juniors Volleyball Club Handbook

Transcription

1 West Fargo Juniors Volleyball Club Handbook INTRODUCTION The mission of WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL is to strive to develop the athletic abilities of the players and to promote teamwork and a positive volleyball experience WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL is a developmental program designed for high school, middle school and late elementary age athletes. The West Fargo Juniors Volleyball Club was created in The club is organized exclusively to provide educational and recreational opportunities associated with volleyball for girls who live within the West Fargo school district boundaries and attend one of the West Fargo Public Schools, unless it is necessary to fill rosters with girls who reside outside the school boundaries, subject to approval of the board. Our purpose is to improve the volleyball skills of all athletes through participation in structured practices and competitive tournaments. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL will attempt to field AT LEAST ONE team in each age classification sanctioned by USA Volleyball with respect to the commitment availability of qualified coaches. The West Fargo Junior Olympic Volleyball Club is a member of North Country Region and USA Volleyball. The purpose of this publication is to inform all prospective members and parents or guardians of the services, guidelines, regulations and requirements of WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL. It is required that ALL ATHLETES and their PARENTS/GUARDIANS read this publication in its entirety before attending tryouts and participating in our program. Mandatory Officiating Clinic Online Officiating information found on each Juniors Webpage once the season has begun and must be completed by March 1st. Player will need to print or the certification to her coach. 1. All athletes who participate in tryouts must have turned in all necessary membership forms and paid registration fees. 2. The WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL staff and an outside source will conduct tryouts in November based on age groups and in-school activities. 3. Please do not tryout if you do not have sincere intentions of playing. 4. If you are injured at the time of tryouts, WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL requests any video of that athlete playing in a match. If videotape is not available, 1-2 written recommendations from a coach along with their contact information is needed. Please notify WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL of this situation before or at tryouts. 5. The director and coaching staff will assess the skills of each player and place them on the appropriate team. NCR JUNIOR INFORMATION *ATTENTION: THESE ARE NEW AGE/GRADE CLASSIFICATION, READ CLOSELY* AGE CLASSIFICATIONS *18 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept. 1, 1997, or players who were born on or after Sept. 1, 1996, and a high school student during some part of the current academic year. 17 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept. 1, (Grade 11 North Country Region only!)* 16 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept. 1, (Grade 10 North Country Region only!)* 15 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept. 1, (Grade 9 North Country Region only!)* 14 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept. 1, (Grade 8 North Country Region only!)* 13 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept. 1, (Grade 7 North Country Region only!)* 12 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept. 1, (Grade 6 North Country Region only!)* 11 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept (Grade 5 North Country Region only!)* 10 and under Division: Players who were born on or after Sept (Grade 4 North Country Region only *North Country Region Team Transfer Rule: Once a player has committed to a team and has played in a USA Volleyball sanctioned event, they are not allowed to transfer teams. All transfers must be done before the first sanctioned event. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL, through this handbook, notifies you of this rule as required by North Country Region USA Volleyball. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL BOARD OF DIRECTORS At this time, WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL is in the process of organizing the governmental body of the organization. The WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL Board of Directors provides approval for policy, staff hiring and provides recommendations for the direction of the program. Current advisory board members include:

2 Betsy Erickson, President: The president shall be responsible for calling meetings of the board, preparing agendas, presiding over meetings and ensuring that the functions of the club and its board of directors are conducted as authorized. CharRae Chwialkowski, Vice-President: The vice-president shall be responsible for presiding over meetings in the absence of the president and for assisting the president in conducting the business of the club and its board of directors Melissa Rossman, Treasurer: The treasurer shall record all deposits and expenses of the club s funds. In addition, he/she shall keep correct and complete books and records of the club s accounts and he/she shall allow such books and records to be inspected by any officer or his agent or attorney, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time. Club treasurer will not have name on club bank account. Kelly Holaday, Secretary: The secretary shall be responsible for recording and providing minutes of the meetings of the board of directors and the club, and for assisting the president in preparing meeting agendas. The secretary shall also keep a record of the names and addresses of the officers and shall allow such minutes and records be inspected by any officer or his agent or attorney, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time. Twila Nogowski, Club Director: The board of directors hires the Club Director. This is a paid position. The board of directors will review the position and the pay each year at the annual meeting to address any changes or adjustments that need to be made. The duties of the director include: o Oversee West Fargo Juniors Volleyball program o Selects and hires coaches o Hires coaches to determine teams o Selects tournaments for teams. o Develops and enforces coaching, player and parent conduct codes. o Determines player fees and compliance with NCR rules. o Serves as a voting member of the Board of Directors o Resolves player, parent and coach issues and/or conflicts. o Oversees expenses o Assists coaches with their practice plans o Oversees the fundraising for the club o Site Director for the West Fargo tournament o Oversees operations of the website WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL COMMITTEE CHAIRS Twila Nogowski, Tournament Chair: The board of directors hires the Tournament Director. This is a paid position. The tournament director is responsible for coordinating an annual tournament hosted by the club each year. This will include site selection, team registration, site directors, awards and tournament communication, including listing on the NCR annual tournament schedule. Works with concessions chair to coordinate food for the event. Jill Boehme, Registration Chair: Responsible for disbursing and collecting all membership forms, medical forms, club code forms, and fees owed to the club. Jennifer Raan and Shawn Streyle, Concessions Co-Chairs: Organize concessions for the WF Tournament Jessi Zenker, Photo\Appeal Coordinator Organize team and individual pictures and apparel that has been ordered. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL GOALS The club is organized exclusively to provide educational and recreational opportunities associated with volleyball for girls who live within the West Fargo school district boundaries and attend one of the West Fargo Public Schools, unless it is necessary to fill rosters with girls who reside outside the school boundaries, subject to approval of the board. A. To further develop opportunities for girls and young women to participate in organized volleyball practices and matches. B. To participate in area, regional and national competitions. C. To provide a structure, whereby volleyball enthusiasts can participate in and contribute to club activities. D. To accept and disburse funds. 2

3 COMMITMENT The season will start at the end of February with the season running through the middle of May. Practices will occur on two days per week, about two hours each session. Generally, practices are held on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and/or Thursday evenings. Variables such as court availability, staff schedules or tournament importance will determine the practice times and schedule. Practices will be held at facilities in West Fargo. A practice schedule will be posted on our web site and handed out once it is developed. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL teams will participate in at least 6 tournaments per season. As a part of committing to WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL, we ask that you find a way to participate in each tournament. If you commit and then need to leave a tournament remember that you are affecting your whole team, as they may not have enough players. Please refer to our TOURNAMENTS section for information on our scheduling possibilities for We recognize that many of our athletes are involved in many activities and athletic programs while participating in our program. Like those other activities, WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL is a commitment and we ask that you try your absolute best to keep that commitment the entire season. To get the most out of our program, it is recommended that you make a solid commitment to this program. Attendance will be kept by coaches for record keeping purposes, but please recognize that your coaches and teammates will be counting on you to make the best effort to be at each practice. Part of the commitment to WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL is to attend the Informational Meeting, NCR required Officials Clinic, any supplemental parent meetings and reading all WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL materials. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL COMMUNICATION LINES Club Director tnogowski@west-fargo.k12.nd.us Web Site: OUR TRAINING PROGRAM The WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL training program will be developed and conducted by WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL staff. We feel that this program will best suit those who have participated in our program in the past, as well as those joining the program for the first time at any age. With consistency in practice and tournament attendance, we feel we can enhance the performance level of each athlete. 12s, 13s, 14s Teams- Beginning Developmental Program Emphasis will be on initial skill development. It is very important to WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL that they receive the best teaching of skills at a young age. Practices will focus on developing skills of each player. Once this is established, we feel that the young athlete will be able to grow, as they get older in our program. As the athlete advances in age, we will spend more time focusing on team development and team play as well. These teams will generally attend tournaments around the Fargo area. The WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL staff will develop a competitive schedule, but yet keep the focus of this age group on player skill development. 15s & 16s Teams- Intermediate Developmental Program Emphasis will be on refining skill development and begin to train advance skills. Following tryouts, staff members will develop a training program for the season based on assessments of each player. Our intention is to get these teams playing against elite competition as the season advances. By the end of the season, these athletes should be prepared for our advanced developmental program. 17s & 18s Teams- Advanced Developmental Program Emphasis will be on refining skill development and implementation of advanced skills. Staff members will break down techniques of players with the intention to improve their individual abilities. Offensive and defensive team systems will be introduced and consistently worked on as the season continues. Once tryouts are finished and teams are selected, the WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL staff will analyze the abilities of each player and develop a schedule based upon projected level of play. These teams will play elite competition based upon the assessments of the WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL Staff. 3

4 Practice Attendance & Absence Notification Attendance will be taken by the coaches at each practice and tournament for record keeping purposes. It is the sole responsibility of the athlete and/or parent to notify the coach on an illness, upcoming absence or if the athlete will be late to practice. As mentioned earlier, what you want to get out of this program may also depend on your attendance. Remember, your absence not only affects you, but also your team and both of your development. Attendance may play a role in the playing time an athlete receives. The attendance policy is as follows: Practices Excused Practice (In-season sports, school related practice or competition, illness, out of town, etc.) Notify the coach beforehand. The first two will be excused and will not cause lack of playing time in tournament. If it goes beyond two, the coach will review the situation. Unexcused Practice: (did not notify the coach beforehand) 1st Offense Will not start in the next tournament and No playing time in the first 2 matches of the next tournament. 2 nd Offense No playing time in the next tournament. Unexcused Tournament (did not show up for tournament and did not call coach.) No playing time in the next tournament Late to Practice Will be dealt with by team coach. Tournaments Late to Tournament Will receive less playing time for first two matches of the tournament. Leave Early From a Tournament (does not help officiate, clean up) Will receive less playing time in the first two matches of the next tournament. TOURNAMENTS The WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL staff will develop a proposed tournament schedule for each team. This schedule may change, depending on evaluation of teams at tryouts and availability to enter the designated tournament. Our goal in schedule development is to find competitive tournaments, while keeping the opportunity for success in mind. At times, WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL teams may play in older age divisions. It is an expectation of each WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL player to try their best to attend each day of each tournament. TOURNAMENT TRAVEL Travel to all tournaments will be at the responsibility of the PARENTS. Athletes cannot drive themselves to tournaments that are outside the West Fargo-Fargo-Moorhead area as this may lead to situations like, getting lost, fatigue after playing or other circumstances. Athletes may not have their boyfriends or friends drive them to tournaments. It is recommended that the parent/guardian, an adult (+23 yrs) family member/relative or another WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL parent drive the player to the tournament site. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL staff members and board members will be keeping a close eye on this activity. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL will not give or be expected to provide any athletes a ride to tournament sites. If there is a unique situation, the coach must receive written permission from the athlete s parent/guardian, releasing the coach of ALL LIABILITY. COMMUNICATION Frequently, pre-tournament information is often delayed and vague. The club director will release the information to the team rep and athletes as soon as it becomes available. As a parent/guardian, please familiarize yourself with any information that comes home with your athlete. Please ask your daughters on a continual basis if they brought any information home with them. As you know, sometimes you may not see it unless you ask. The team rep, who is usually a parent from your daughter s team, will also have the information. If possible, information will also be posted on the website or through . Please be open to the fact that sometimes last minute changes are made and we will do our best to inform you ASAP. It might also be helpful to 4

5 establish communications with the parents/guardians of the members in the club or on your daughters team. Your patience and cooperation is appreciated. If you have any questions, don t refrain from asking at any time. Weather Announcements North Dakota and Minnesota are known for great winter weather. In the event of severe weather, practice will be cancelled. If you hear that West Fargo schools have been closed we will not hold practice. Announcements may also be posted on our website. We will try to contact as many area radio stations as we can. DO NOT TRAVEL IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING TO PRACTICE! JUST NOTIFY YOUR COACH! PLAYING TIME & POSITIONS The biggest challenge for any coach is assigning playing time and positions to athletes. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL gives complete discretion to the coaches in regards to playing time. The coach will evaluate the athletes attitude, ability, practice attendance, needs of the team, competition of opponent and other individual philosophies when it comes to playing time. It is important that each athlete understand that she may not receive all the playing time that she believes she deserves. In regards to positions on the floor, the coach will put athletes in a position that he or she feels best suits the team. It may or may not be the same position that the athlete plays in high school or junior high. The athlete is welcomed to train at multiple positions, but this will be at the discretion of the coach. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL coaches may hold team and/or individual meetings to discuss this subject and other philosophies the coach has. It is an expectation that the athlete and parents respect the coaches decisions and give 100% effort towards the success of the team. CONFLICTS & COMPLAINTS WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL would like to handle any conflicts and complaints in a professional manner. It is an expectation that all players and parents read the WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL Handbook before beginning a complaint process. Playing time and position conflicts should first be discussed between the coach and player. It is an expectation that both the coach and player conduct any conversations in a civil manner, withholding many emotions that come with this subject. Any coach, at any time, has the right to have another staff member present for liability purposes. Any coach also has the right to set a time to meet with that athlete if there are no other staff members available. The coach has the right to end any meeting at any time if the conversation goes beyond a civil conversation. All staff members will document meetings with players. It is the belief of WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL that players and coaches discuss issues first. It is the players who play for the coach, not the parents. Parents will not be allowed to discuss these issues or any conflicts with coaches. The club director and coaches have the right to walk away from any discussion involving playing time, position, or volleyball strategy and philosophy conversations. If any parent or guardian has a conflict or complaint, we ask that they send a signed to the club director. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL believes that this policy is a great first step to open up communication doors without causing further problems. After the letter or is received, WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL will contact the parent/guardian to address the complaint or conflict and take steps to solve any issue. It is an expectation that each player, parent or guardian follows this policy. If not, the following discipline procedures will be enforced: 1 st Offense/Level One offense-a level one offense is defined when a parent/guardian generally discusses playing time, positioning or coaching strategy with the coach at any time. This conversation is done on a concerned level, but done in a civil manner. It will also be considered an offense when a parent/guardian is verbally degrading the play of the team or another player during a match out loud. The player will be withheld from one match. 2 nd Offense/Level Two offense-a level two offense is defined when a parent/guardian commits a level one offense for the second time. Also, a level two offense may define when a parent/guardian is behaving in an uncivil manner to a coach, player, team, or official. The player will be withheld from the tournament for the remainder of the tournament. 3 rd Offense/Level Three offense-a level three offense is defined as the third strike, you re out. Two previous offenses plus a third offense, or any situation that goes above and beyond behaving in an uncivil manner to a coach, player, team, 5

6 or official will result in the player being removed from the program. The participant, parent or guardian will still be responsible for all financial commitments despite being removed from the program. It is the hope of WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL that we do reach a solution in these situations. With your cooperation, this hope is possible. However, it is a no-tolerance policy and no exceptions will be made. The club director will be responsible for all decisions in regards to discipline procedures. The parents will be notified of any infractions through a letter, , phone call or interpersonal civil discussion. We hope to have your cooperation to make this program a great experience for all! RESPONSIBILITIES & CODE OF CONDUCT Membership in the West Fargo Juniors Volleyball Club carries with it certain responsibilities to the organization. This applies not only to the club participants but to the parents as well. Please keep in mind that you are not only representing yourself, you are also representing our club. 1. At any time, no athlete, parent or coach shall make any disparaging remarks about or gestures towards another player, team, coach, official or parent/s. 2. Players, coaches and parents should have general knowledge of the sport of volleyball, USA Volleyball, North Dakota High School Activities Association and North Country Region rules and regulations. 3. At all times members and coaches are expected to act appropriately and dress tastefully keeping in mind that they are representing WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL. 4. When participating in a tournament, players and coaches should not leave personal property or team belongings unattended. 5. Players and parents are responsible for leaving all facilities neat and clean. Please follow the rules of the playing sites that have regarding food, drinks and coolers. 6. No team member may leave an event without checking out with the team coach or club Director. *WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL reserves the right to use our offense policies for breaking codes of conduct. INSURANCE (see also, WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL Participant Forms) USA Volleyball Insurance covers practices, sanctioned events, competitions and travel to and from such events. It is a supplemental insurance policy. A medical release form is included in the participant forms and will be required for participation. Please completely fill out all the information requested. The insurance company requires this form to be in the possession of a staff member at all practices and events. STATE ELIGIBILITY & NCAA ELIGIBILITY WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL structures to be in full compliance with the NDHSAA and with the NCAA s rules and regulations. UNIFORMS Uniform tops are included in your payments and must be worn when representing WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL. Black shorts are required for each tournament. This season, each athlete and parent has the option of purchasing apparel, such as sweatshirts, long-sleeve t-shirts, hats, etc. (See Apparel Form) Player Costs: $285 per player (new), $250 per play (returning player with volleyball from previous year) Covers the following: Uniform, Volleyball, 6 tournaments, 20-plus practices NCR player and team fees, coaching fees and tournament fees All payments and fund raising money must be submitted in the form of a check or money order payable to: West Fargo Juniors Volleyball Club INJURY POLICY All injuries must be reported immediately to the coach and/or the club director. In the event of an injury, the athlete will not be permitted to participate unless written clearance is obtained from the athletes physician. Payments made to WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL are NOT refundable except in the case of an injury or illness that concludes an athletes ability to participate for the remainder of the season. The amount to be refunded is prorated 6

7 based upon the amount of participation and other budgetary items directly used by the individual. Parents must request IN WRITING and attach a statement from the athlete s physician. Keep in mind that ONLY PERSONAL PAYMENTS MADE DIRECTLY FROM THE PARENT/S OR GUARDIAN/S ARE REFUNDABLE. Any money raised through fundraising opportunities is not refundable under federal law. The WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL Board of Directors will review all refund situations. SEXUAL & NON-SEXUAL HARASSMENT, VIOLENCE & ABUSE General Statement of Policy Harassment, violence and assault either sexual or non-sexual are violations of North Dakota and Federal laws. Sexual harassment is a form of sexual discrimination. Men and women may be victims may be offenders. It is the policy of WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL to maintain a learning and working environment that is free from all harassment and violence. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL prohibits any form of harassment, abuse and violence. It shall be a violation of this policy for any club member, club parent, director, board member, coach or employee of WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL to harass or be violent in any manner to a club member, club parent, director, board member, coach or employee through conduct or communication as defined by this policy. WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL will investigate all complaints, formal or informal, verbal or written of harassment, violence or abuse either sexual or non-sexual and to discipline any club member, club parent, director, board member, coach or employee who violates this policy. This policy also covers any extension of the WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL environment; i.e. club-sponsored events, members, parents, directors, board member, coaches or employees are prohibited from engaging in any form of harassment violence or abuse at these events. Reporting Procedure Victims of alleged harassment, violence or abuse in both a sexual or non-sexual form and third person/observers with knowledge or belief of conduct constituting such acts should report the alleged act immediately to WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL director, as designed herein. Cases of harassment may be turned over to the West Fargo Police Department or other delegated organizations. Reporting Procedure Victims of alleged harassment, violence or abuse in both a sexual or non-sexual form and third person/observers with knowledge or belief of conduct constituting such acts should report the alleged act immediately to WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL director, as designed herein. Cases of harassment may be turned over to the West Fargo Police Department or other delegated organizations. SOCIAL NETWORKING The WEST FARGO JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL CLUB (WFJVC) supports its member s rights to freedom of speech, expression, and association, including the use of social networks. However, playing and competing for WFJVC is a privilege, not a right. As a member of WFJVC you are a representative of WFJVC in the public eye. We ask you to use extreme caution in the use of social networking websites (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, My Space, YouTube, ). Members should not post inappropriate information or pictures on social networking sites that damage or embarrass individuals, teams, or the club. 7

8 General Rules: *Be wise with how much personal information you post. Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks provide privacy settings that protect this information. Use the privacy settings to your advantage, but understand they are not a guarantee that what you post will not be made public. *Help build a positive image of yourself with the use of Social Media. *Understand that what you put out there, YOU CAN T TAKE BACK. Once any text, photo, tweets, or video is placed online it is completely out of your control, regardless of whether you limit access to your page. Anything posted online is available to anyone in the world. Social Media Guidelines: Be a leader, act like a leader, & post like a leader. Represent this organization in a first class manner and with integrity Refrain from posting comments that constitute a credible threat of physical or emotional injury to another person. Refrain from posting comments or photos that describe unlawful assault, abuse, hazing, harassment, or discrimination. Refrain from any posts that may be derogatory towards any sports teams or clubs Be mindful of what you re-tweet. Although you may not have said it, what you re-tweet reflects how others view you. Using inappropriate or offensive language in comments, tweets, videos and other postings will most definitely lead to a negative image, so don t do it! Best Practices: Think twice before posting. If you don t want your parents, grandparents, or coaches to see it, then don t post it! Be accurate and honest. Always tell the truth. You never know who is watching, from coaches, to teammates, to parents (friend s parents), to teachers, or future employers. Take pride in what you do and who/what you represent. WFJVC, your team, your teammates, your school, your family, etc Everything that you post online is permanent even when it s deleted. More good tips: With all this being said, don t be afraid to re-tweet or share WFJVC-related content on your Twitter and Facebook. The more eyes that see positive comments, the better! Members that do not comply with this policy are subject to disciplinary action. The WFJVC will follow the disciplinary action set forth by the NDHSAA or school district, if applicable. TOBACCO/ALCOHOL/DRUGS The use and/or possession of tobacco products, alcohol, drugs or drug paraphernalia by West Fargo volleyball players is illegal and forbidden. Suspected use and possession reported to the board will be immediately relayed to the parents and player by involved parties in a confidential meeting. Confirmed use or possession of the above products by a West Fargo volleyball player may result in suspension from play. The length of suspension and/or the possibility of expulsion from the team will be determined in a confidential meeting between parents, player and a designee from the board of directors. Members that do not comply with this policy are subject to disciplinary action. The WFJVC will follow the disciplinary action set forth by the NDHSAA or school district, if applicable. 8